Friday, 18 March 2011

Take No Prisoners

It is a well known fact that art imitates life, art cannot help but be influenced by its social and political setting. Art that is produced in London, 2011 is a world away from art produced in Dehli 1267. The same is said with fashion, critics have documented the drop in hemlines, cleaner lines and more robust fabrics in the 1940s in response to the war, where women stepped into the roles of men. The hedonism of the 80s saw bright and bold colours, strong silhuouettes with warrior like shoulders to indicate the selfish brand of Western capitalism.

Today, years into a recession where cuts are being made left and right, where our rights as students, working mothers and near-retiring workers are close to being infringed on, it is harder to see the correlation between fashion and life. Hindsight is a friend in this matter and it will not be long before we can ascertain the influence the economic crisis has had on the worlds' artists.

This month's issue of Dazed and Confused engages with this topic, displaying a provoking cover that will stand out between glossy models and celebrities on Vogue, W, Elle and it's counterparts. While I have not yet been able to get my hands on the magazine, I'm excited to see what the team have produced. Whether it's an insightful look into our ongoing financial hardships and "age of austerity" or a superficial theme remains to be seen. I admit that I'm not terribly impressed by the editorial "Eat the Rich" - donning an army jacket and DMs does not make you a revolutionary. But I shall reserve my judgement until I get myself to a newsagent!